


To Catch A Thief

by TwilightsInferno



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Adult Content, Canon-Typical Violence, ChemFrost, F/M, Mild Sexual Content, SnowBarry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 06:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20372491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilightsInferno/pseuds/TwilightsInferno
Summary: Barry Allen, otherwise known as The Chemist, is pulling a heist but things become more complicated than they seem, especially when Killer Frost walks through the door.Snowbarry Summer Lovin' 2019Finish your WIPs Challenge





	To Catch A Thief

**Author's Note:**

> Not actually based on the Hitchcock film of the same title rather this was more inspired by Infinite Myth’s Chemfrost “Superstitious” video on YouTube so definitely check that out if you haven’t! [link below] I had a lot of fun (and difficulties lol) exploring these versions of our favorite duo! I hope you enjoy them too!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u0zGcmWDog

**Earth 20**

**Location: Van Horn Industries**

**Time: 02:00**

_ Click! _

The tumbler lock of the filing cabinet sprang open revealing the files inside. Barry Allen, a thief more commonly known as The Chemist, stuffed his lock pick set back into his pocket before flicking on his pen light. Placing the small flashlight between his teeth to see as he began going through the folders for the information he was looking for. His gloved fingers skimming the tabs as his eyes searched for the right sequence of numbers.

Suddenly his ears picked up on a sound down the hall. Shutting off the light and pushing the drawer within a quarter of an inch of being closed he quickly ducked to hide beside the door frame. Pulling the laser gun from his belt and pointing it at the door, ready for whoever may come in and sneak up behind them if he had too.

A silhouette filled the entryway, his finger traced the trigger, ready to fire as he held his breath. Bracing as a foot crossed the threshold and the figure stepped inside, a figure he knew. Silvery curls that faded into blonde, blue eyes as vibrant as a glacier, pale skin, and curves so well defined by her black suit.

She turned her head and smirked at him, completely unfazed by the gun pointed at her, “Hey handsome.”

“Frost,” He let out putting his weapon away, “I was wondering if I’d be seeing you.”

“Aw. Do you miss me when I’m gone?”

He gave her a disapproving look but didn’t say anything as he walked back to the drawer and resumed his search.

As he did, he could sense Frost stalking about the room behind him, working her way around it, her eyes searching curiously for anything she may deem worth taking. This was how they operated at this point. She followed him into jobs so she wouldn’t have to do the work herself, taking what she wished, and attempting to irritate him all along the way. He used to hate how she showed up at so many of his heists but her stealing valuables often attracted attention away from whatever he had done. So he left the door open a crack and she could come and take whatever caught her eye. Within reason.

“So what does our mutual friend have you looking for this time?” She drawled out slowly, as if uninterested, as she rounded to the other side of the room, weaving in and out of the rows of filing cabinets.

“I doubt our friend would’ve hired me if I was so loose lipped,” He responded dryly, his eyes more focused on matching the numbers.

“Is that how you’d describe them? Loose?” His gaze shot up to find her in the next row over, just a filing cabinet across from him. Smirking at him from barely two feet away. He kept his expression blank but that didn’t stop a small surge from running its way down his spine at the look on her face. She just shrugged off his lack of visible reaction as breezily as she always did, “Not the word I’d use.”

He let out a long breath of air and turned back to his work instead of rising to the bait to ask how she’d describe them. Knowing that would just distract him even further from his task. Her chuckle echoed throughout the small room as she started walking around again.

“Who even keeps things on paper anymore?” She finally broke the silence when it had stretched on too long for her liking and he had moved on to another drawer. Though he found it a little odd, after their initial banters she usually left him alone to do her own thieving.

“People who want to make it harder for their information to be stolen,” He responded matter-of-factly, slowly closing this drawer too.

Suddenly she slid up beside him, leaning against the cabinet next to him as she pushed the drawer the rest of the way closed with a sharp click, “I bet it’s not too hard for you though is it?”

“No, but you certainly make it more difficult,” He commented as he pulled a cloth from his pocket and wiped down where she touched, smudging any fingerprints, before he pulled out an extra set of gloves and put them in her hands, “Here.”

“What are these for?”

“I’m always cleaning up after you anyways, might as well be proactive about it.” 

Her eyes narrowed at him.

“Since when, Chem?” She snapped, using her nickname for his alias. It was the only name she knew.

“Well why exactly did you think the police barely have anything on you?” He asked but she didn’t respond, just stared at him with an unreadable look on her face, “It’s not because you don’t leave anything behind. You do, _ I _just clean it up.”

Surprise seemed to pass over Frost’s features before she set her jaw and pulled on the gloves he gave her. Without a word she slipped away, moving past him and into the back office to continue her snooping. He shook his head at her shift in demeanor, she was always so... changeable. Like two separate people. One side ironically hot-blooded for her icy powers and playful while the other was guarded and often accompanied with a blank expression. But even if she had asked he couldn’t begin to explain why he always wiped away her prints, or removed strains of her hair, or any other evidence she left behind. It was just a thing something about her made him do. A small stubbornly soft part of him cared if she got caught.

After taking in a deep breath, feeling short of it, he continued his search through the files but didn’t turn up a match. He was just about to start investigating elsewhere when Frost’s voice called from a back room.

“Hey Chem, I think I found what you’re looking for.”

He followed her voice and found her behind some executive's fancy desk with a painting set on the floor and the wall safe cracked open.

“Did you bust it?” He asked skeptically as he entered, hoping she hadn’t blasted it open. He could crack a safe if she had wanted in, she knew this.

“Nah, new trick. I formed an ice key inside the lock.”

“And the key pad?”

“I’m not just a pretty face, you know. I’ve got brains enough for two in here,” She said, shooting him a grin while tapping a finger to her temple. It gave him the distinct impression she was making a joke she knew he wouldn’t get.

“Impressive, so what did you find?”

She smirked at his small compliment and held up a file, “Blueprints to a Neuro Stasis Field Generator. That is what you’re looking for, correct?”

“I thought you didn’t know.”

“I never said that,” She teased and it was enough to make his mouth quirk into a slight smile. She had a way of making him do that too.

“Fair,” He said as he reached for the folder.

“Ah!” She let out quickly, yanking the file back just out of his reach. He shot her a questioning look, “I want in.”

“In?”

“In. You know, a cut or a finder’s fee. Whatever you want to call it.”

He snorted, “Me leaving the back door open for you to take whatever you want isn’t enough?”

“There’s nothing here I want,” She countered as her eyes cast over him, “But for this kind of information Mr. Ramon must be paying you quite the sum so I want in.”

“If you wanted to partner you could just ask.”

“Is that what you’re asking?”

Just when he thought he had the upper hand, she always managed to turn the tables. There was a pause where he hesitated on what to say before he continued forward trying to play it off, hoping she hadn’t noticed.

“And if I was? Hypothetically. What would you say?”

“You’re cute but no, I work alone,” She rebuffed, patting his cheek with mock sympathy. Her touch cold through the latex of the glove, but it burned against his skin.

“Fine. You got a number in mind?” He gritted out pulling his head back slightly letting her hand drop. An action her eyes followed momentarily before returning to his face.

“Thirty percent.”

“No, ten. I broke in here in the first place.”

“Twenty-five. I got in the safe.”

“Fifteen.”

“Twenty.”

They stared each other down, she raised her eyebrows at him expectantly and he did the same to her. Neither of them breaking eye contact, hoping the other would cave before he finally broke with a roll of his eyes. 

“Fine. Twenty.”

“Then you got yourself a deal,” She said happily holding the folder out to him. He swiped it from her hand and walked out of the room, back to his bag where he began cleaning everything up. Sure to leave no trace.

“So what's the plan? Straight from here to the bar?” She asked as she strolled up behind him.

“No. We have a rendezvous planned in twenty-four hours. He’s sending me the details later, until then we lay low,” He grumbled in response. His ego feeling a bit bruised at her patronizing rejection of his hypothetical offer. Then he stood slinging his bag over his shoulder, “Let's go.”

“Twenty-four hours huh?” Frost asked skipping steps to fall in pace with his long strides. “That's a lot of time to kill. What _ ever _ will we do with ourselves?”

“Seems like you already have some ideas,” He said in a clipped tone trying to ignore her sly smile. 

Alright, so maybe a little more than his ego was a bit hurt by her rejection. But since he had first encountered her he had been inexplicably drawn to her, almost like a magnet to its opposite pole. From when he saw her for the first time across Mr. Ramon’s bar, talking to the boss and even getting the criminal kingpin to crack a smile he couldn’t take his eyes off her. His gaze following her as she walked towards the door once her deal was complete. An action he was sure she noticed as she had flashed him a smile on her way out.

To the night she had shown up on one of his heists. Claiming coincidence she wanted to hit the same place at the same time. But after she appeared at two more with the same excuse he learned how she used him to make her own heists easier. Following the revelation and a heated argument on the rooftop of Central City Museum she was the first to offer the truce that lead them to the arrangement they had now.

Yet in truth, he had been secretly planning to offer a change to their deal and ask her to partner up with him. On one heist at first, officially this time. It was the perfect job for her powerset. And if it went well, as that small part of him hoped it would, then perhaps it could only grow from there. He had assumed with how she placed herself in his way all the time that she’d share his interest.

...Evidently not.

“I have plenty, but what about you? Do you usually just spend the time brooding?”

He opted not to respond as they began their descent down the back stairwell.

“Oh come now. This is going to be a long twenty-four hours if you don’t say anything.”

She paused as she waited for him to respond but he kept his eyes on the steps ahead.

“Is this about our little deal back there? Because I-”

Barry turned around so suddenly on the stairs it forced Frost to stop short behind him, his face now level with her’s as he was only a few steps down.

“I will give you forty percent to stop talking.”

“Forty?” She repeated curiously as she leaned forward on her step, sliding her hand down the railing to support herself as she brought the distance between them even closer. Her proximity stirring something inside him as his eyes darted all around her face and he resisted the urge to close the gap further. “That’s almost... _ a partner. _”

“Take it or leave it.”

“Fine. But I’ll only stop talking if you pull the stick out of your ass. It's no fun.”

He simply huffed knowing this was an argument he wasn’t going to win, rolling his eyes as he turned and continued down the stairs. Thankfully Frost stayed true to her word and didn’t say anything as she followed behind and they exited the building.

But when he pushed the door open to the back alley the sight just on the other side had him immediately reaching for his gun.

“Run!” He shouted to her trying to push her back inside but large men grabbed them both before he could.

Frost’s reaction was immediate. Her eyes flashed white as she blasted one man across the alley and froze the hands of the other who dared touch her while his own arms were being restrained. He cried out in pain when they twisted his wrist so his gun clattered to the ground and he felt a cool tip of a barrel against his neck. The sound making Frost turn and point her palms at the man who was now using him as a human shield, an icy mist flowing from them and ready to blast any second.

“You fire I’ll fire,” She warned darkly.

“Now now, everyone let’s just relax,” A deep voice boomed as a broad man with a heavy gold chain around his neck stepped up. 

“Goldface,” Barry growled and the man sent a smile his way. He internally cursed himself, he should’ve factored in the crime lord could’ve been casing the place. Wanting to get his hands on the blueprints before his competitors.

“Killer Frost and The Chemist, why am I not surprised? You two finally hook up?”

“No!” They both shot out at the same time and Goldface chuckled and stepped towards Barry, reaching out and smugly fixing his shirt collar while Barry could do nothing but glare coldly at him as he did so. But when his eyes flickered up for just a moment he could see Frost tense over the crime lord’s shoulder. Palms still raised and restless on her feet, even with her calm expression she looked unsure what to do next.

“Shame, you really ought to take advantage of these lovely opportunities when you have them,” Goldface said with a final tug on Barry’s collar trying to startle him. It didn’t work as he simply growled back,

“You know it never surprised me Amunet broke up with you.”

Goldface sneered at him, letting gold form over his knuckles before he punched Barry in the gut. He coughed as the air got knocked out of him.

“Hand over the blueprints. Now.”

“Why would I give them to you-- _ ugh _,” He grunted as the thug twisted his arm, “If I don’t get them to my buyer then I don’t get paid.”

“How about I pay you with your life?”

“That's not worth nearly as much as I’m getting for this job,” He spat back boldly making Goldface scoff.

“You got guts, I’ll give you that. Search his bag.”

Another thug pulled his bag from his shoulder and began going through it. He glanced up and met Frost’s eyes briefly, if he wasn’t mistaken she actually looked a little worried.

“There’s no blueprints in here,” The thug said.

“Frisk him then,” Goldface commanded.

“You’ll never find it,” He told them with a condescending smirk as they searched his pockets finding only his pick set and flashlight. Goldface studied him for a moment before realizing he was telling the truth. 

“Fine, you’re not scared of me. I’ll accept that. But I bet you’re scared of her,” He said before turning to Frost, walking towards her and leaving Barry knitting his brows in confusion as to what he meant. She immediately pointed one of her palms at the crime lord threateningly when he got too close.

“You said you two aren’t working together correct?” 

Frost locked her jaw and didn’t say a word as she briefly glanced towards him, but Goldface was always good at reading people. Swaggering another step towards her with that calm charisma he was known for, 

“No? Good. I’m a big fan, you know. You used to be an enforcer for Amunet and I always admired your work. Now rumors say you got soft and that’s why you left, that one day it was as if something changed in you, like you got a new side to you and the ice queen started to melt. You just couldn’t take it anymore. But I don’t believe that, I understand sometimes things get a little dull and we just need a change. Even gold sometimes needs a new shine, right? So what do you say I hire you, for old times sake? I’ll pay you twice whatever you’re getting for this job.”

Again Frost didn’t say anything as her eyes diverted away from the man briefly while he dared another step closer.

“All you have to do is get the blueprints out of him. It shouldn’t be too hard for someone of your... caliber.”

Barry watched the scene unfold in front of him as a nervousness coiled in his stomach. Would Frost hurt him for information and money? Honestly he didn’t know. No they certainly weren’t friends, and even if she didn’t want to be his partner he thought they were allies at the very least. Though their _ quid pro quo _ arrangement mostly likely didn’t extend to risking their lives for each other. Especially in this business. But what if it did?

“You have yourself a deal.” Frost’s voice came and his blood ran cold. 

Guess not.

His brain quickly began running over his miscalculations in his head. Not only had she not wanted to be his partner but he had been nothing more than a means to an end to get what she wanted and now he was in the way. A variable to be removed. That’s the second time he’d been wrong about her intentions this evening. Maybe it was time to accept he’d never really understand them, or her. And maybe that it was too late for such a mistake.

Goldface laughed heartily, “Good. Good. I’ll enjoy watching you work again.”

The crime lord backed away with a wide gesture like he was giving her the floor. As Frost strided forward the thug pushed Barry down onto his knees. He winced as they slammed into the concrete and the man dug the gun further into his neck. A long ice dagger forming in Frost’s hand hand as she neared.

“You may want to take a step back,” Frost snapped coldly to the thug who let him go, but he still felt the gun hovering a few inches from his skull as Frost reached out and grabbed a fist full of his hair, roughly yanking his head back.

“Frost...” He started to try and reason but the look in her eyes made him trail off, a chill not of her power’s making running through his veins.

“Now I'm going to give you until the count of _ three _\--” She stressed as he felt an odd tapping on the back of his head, “--to give me what I want. And I suggest you start talking. I would hate for that pretty little face of yours to be ruined.”

He felt that odd tapping once more against the back of his head, suddenly realizing it was her finger.

“One.”

_ Tap, tap, tap _

“Two.”

He met her gaze and saw the strain around the corners of her eyes as her brows knitted ever so slightly.

_ Tap, tap, tap _

His eyes blew wide.

He prayed he hadn’t been wrong about her after all.

“Three!” 

Barry spun around on his knee towards the thug behind him as her hand released his hair. Frost sliced her dagger across the man’s arm, distracting him just long enough for Barry to jump and grab tight to the man's gun. Looping the thug’s elbow under his own arm to control it as he swung his leg around to swipe under the larger man’s. Successfully knocking the brute to the ground with a hard thud at his feet. 

As he did so the sound of an ice blast echoed through the alley and a dome of glacier blue ice formed around them in his peripherals. Twisting the gun from the man's grip he set it to stun before he fired twice into the thug’s chest knocking him out.

Turning around he saw that he and Frost were encased in a shield of ice, just able to hear Goldface's muffled yelling outside.

“Thanks...” He panted out, “I wasn't sure if...”

“Yeah I wasn't either.”

He was about to respond when suddenly there was a crack of gunfire as bullets peppered the icy dome, none of it breaking through as they both reflexively ducked.

“I counted about six guys left surrounding us. Any ideas?” Frost asked as she turned towards him.

“Um...” Barry looked around then picked up his own gun that was on the ground, so now he had one in each hand. Looking up at Frost he shrugged a little as he held them both up, “I take the right and you take the left?”

Frost huffed a laugh in disbelief, “It's worth a shot I suppose.”

He bobbed his head in agreement as he walked over, she gave him a curt nod in return steadying his nerves then turned her back to him as he did to her. Taking the half step back until he could feel her brushing up against him. Acutely aware of her presence as they both took in a deep breath and he cocked both of his guns before holding them out in front of him, prepared to fire at whatever was beyond those walls.

“Ready?”

“Ready,” She answered as he felt her nod against his back and could hear the ice forming in her hands.

“Go!”

With a clench of her fist she blasted her ice shield outwards. As it shattered apart the force knocked Goldface and his men over. Barry shot a stun round into any that started to get up all the while feeling the cold chill from the blowback of Frost’s powers crawl up his neck as she assuredly froze men down, incapacitating them as well.

Suddenly a glint of gold caught his eye as he turned to see Goldface had pulled off his heavy chain necklace and turned it into a long whip. Controlling it with his infamous powers over the substance.

“Duck!” He shouted quickly turning on his heel and pulling Frost to the ground with him. Half his body covering her’s as he heard the whip crack over their heads.

Barry raised one of his guns and fired sporadically in Goldface’s direction, allowing them to get up as the crime lord ducked for cover.

“Are you okay?” He asked Frost glancing over at her.

“Yeah, what about y--”

But before she could finish Goldface’s whip wrapped around Barry’s arm, lashing against his hand making him drop one of his guns in the pain as with a mighty pull Goldface tossed him across the alley. Knocking him hard into the wall before he landed in a pile of trash bags.

He groaned as the whip released him and Goldface threw it the other way. Where it much to Barry’s horror looped itself around Frost’s neck. The crime lord yanked her back to him, trapping her in a tight hold against his chest as Frost struggled. Her fingers clenching around the metal, freezing the golden whip around her throat solid, the ice encasing it before it began to crawl up his arm.

“Don’t you know gold doesn’t shatter? Your ice won’t do a thing to me,” Goldface growled proudly.

Barry quickly grabbed the other gun he had dropped when he hit the wall and scrambled up. Pointing it at the man.

“Let her go!” He demanded as he edged closer.

“Give me the blueprints and I just might,” Goldface sneered back.

“Don’t do a damn thing this _ bastard _ says,” Frost shot out, throwing her elbow to try and hit him. Goldface simply blocked her attack and tightened the chain around her neck as he snarled,

“So I guess you really have gone soft. How disappointing.”

Barry’s jaw clenched as he watched her struggle, a shot of hot anger racing through him. Yet he knew he wasn’t a good enough marksmen to guarantee the probability he wouldn’t hit Frost if he tried to take the shot.

“Okay, okay... Stop. I’ll get you the file,” He finally said slowly putting the gun on the ground and kicking it away. Frost shooting him a downright murderous glare as he did.

“You always were a smart one,” Goldface smiled approvingly but didn’t loosen his grip on Frost.

“I’m just going to walk over here, very slowly, and get it from my bag. Alright?” Barry explained as he did just that after Goldface nodded. Kneeling down and he pulled a silver canister out from one of the pockets, twisting one end of it, activating a small internal vacuum that began to dry the substance inside, before standing and holding it out to the criminal, “It’s in here.”

“Open it first,” Goldface demanded as he inched closer, pulling Frost with him, “I’ve heard of your tricks.”

“Glad my reputation precedes me,” He jabbed, flashing them both a sarcastic grin that made Goldface scoff and Frost look at him in bewilderment. Barry slowly opened the canister, while pointing it at himself, and nothing happened. Then held it out to Goldface, “See, no tricks.”

Goldface squinted at the dark inside of the silver tube, “I don’t see it in there.”

He gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes, condescendingly explaining, “Holographic projection. There’s a reason I said you’d never be able to find it. Just take it and let her go already.”

With one final glare his way Goldface reached up towards the canister. Just as he was about to reach inside Barry’s eyes darted to Frost’s, who was already watching him intently. He hoped she could read his eyes as well as he had read her’s as he tried to warn her with a gaze. Then he held a deep breath as he turned his face away, seeing Frost do the same out of the corner of his eye just before he closed them the moment Goldface touched the substance inside.

_ BANG! _

The sound echoed through the alley like a gunshot as an explosion and a cloud of violet colored gas shot out of the canister straight into the crime lord’s face.

“_ Agh! _” Goldface cried out his hands flying to his eyes, releasing Frost, his whip clattering to the pavement.

She took the chance with no hesitation. Turning she slammed an ice covered fist into Goldface’s chest, knocking the air from him as she hooked her heel around the back of his, pulling his foot out forcing him to slam to the ground. Pinning him there as an icicle formed in her hand in seconds.

“You want to know what’s really soft? Gold. Now it may not shatter but it is _ so _ easy to puncture,” She hissed as she pressed the tip of the icicle up to the man’s jugular, “Just the right amount of pressure and--”

“Wait! Don’t! I’ll pay you what I promised,” Goldface tried to bargain but Barry could see clearly on Frost’s face she wasn’t hearing him.

He stepped forward, “Frost. It’s not worth it.”

She scoffed not even glancing towards him, “Agree to disagree, Chem.”

“The attention a _ dead body _ brings isn’t worth it,” He insisted more firmly. Nothing gets the police riled up like a murder, especially from name criminals like them no one has ever been able to build a case on. Yet.

She shot him a glare but he could tell she understood his concern as she scoffed and leaned away from Goldface, gesturing towards the crime lord exasperatedly, “Well go on then.”

Barry huffed a laugh at her frustration before picking up his other gun from the ground and firing three stun rounds into Goldface’s chest.

“There, he should be out for awhile,” He said tucking his gun back into the holster on his belt and offering his hand to help her up. She took it reluctantly as she stood, “Are you okay, none of it hit you?”

“Yeah. I’m okay,” She said a little slowly as she eyed him carefully, “What did you do to him anyway?”

She gestured to Goldface, unconscious on the ground with slight burn marks and covered in residual violet powder. He couldn’t help himself but grin a little as he jumped into an explanation,

“Nitrogen triiodide. It's iodine and ammonia. You can find them in pretty much every lab making it difficult to trace and nearly impossible for forensics to analyze because when dry it explodes at the _ slightest _ touch.”

“And it’s purple,” She quipped, her tone thick with amusement looking pleased as her brows jumped. 

“Yeah, and it’s purple,” He agreed with a chuckle scratching at the back of his neck. His smile faded slightly though as he caught her with an interesting look on her face, looking him over in a way he hadn’t seen before, a small almost grin pulling at her corner of her lips. But the expression was gone before he could blink and back to Frost’s casual amusement.

“And the hidden file? Another clever trick from AP Chemistry?”

“No actually,” He picked up his bag to show her inside as suddenly the file was revealed at his touch, “nanites courtesy of Ray Palmer. Programmed by Mr. Ramon to conceal a secret pocket in my bag.” 

“Courtesy?”

“Okay, so maybe they were stolen.” He shrugged and they both found themselves sharing smirk until his eyes caught a streak of red on her neck, “Damn, you’re hurt.”

He quickly pulled a cloth from his jacket pocket and unthinkingly reached over to wipe it off, but before he could touch her Frost instinctively pulled away.

“Sorry,” He muttered lowering his hand.

“I... it’s okay. My powers healed it but it must’ve bled a little before they did.”

“Ah, well here. To clean it if you want then,” He said as he held out the cloth to her.

She looked amused as she took it, “Nice handkerchief, old man.”

He nodded at the jab, “Well I have been called old fashioned.”

“A gentleman thief and a metahuman. Don’t we make quite the pair?” She said jokingly as she cleaned her neck.

“Yeah, I guess so,” He agreed before he noticed she missed a spot, “You still got some... right there.”

He gestured to a spot near her chin a little awkwardly as she regarded him before slowly handing the handkerchief back.

“You wanna get it?”

“Uh sure,” He said lowly taking the cloth and stepping up close to her, “Mind if I... angle your head?”

She shook her head not quite meeting his eyes as he carefully held her jaw to gently tilt it to the side in one hand while wiping off the remaining blood off with the other. His height forcing him to lean down to see under her jawline properly. That feeling from earlier stirring up in his chest again at their closeness. Her breath cold against his face, getting more rapid by the second as it sent tingles like electricity crackling through his body at the sensation and his fingertips burning where they touched her skin.

Finally he wiped the last of the blood away and straightened, clearing his throat a little, “There. All good.”

“Right. Thanks,” She said curtly, taking in a deep breath as she glanced away. His brows furrowed briefly at her odd behavior before he turned to start packing his bag.

“Hey listen. I wanted to ask.” Frost spoke again before pausing in a moment of hesitation that caught his attention and left his bag forgotten. A moment during which Barry could’ve sworn her eyes flickered brown for a split second as she bit down on her lower lip. He’d never seen her do that before, or her eyes do that for that matter, but it happened so fast he questioned if it was real or somehow was just the light. “Was your offer serious?”

“Offer?” He asked a little dazed as his attention finally returned to her.

“About a partnership.”

“Does it matter? You said you work alone,” He deflected swiftly, the small spell he had been under from her expression dissipating as he straightened his coat.

“And if I said I didn't want to anymore? Hypothetically. What would you say?”

He set his jaw as he glanced away briefly, “I suppose I would ask you what changed.”

For a moment her expression went blank as she stared back at him. He raised a brow at her, expecting an answer, it was one he had to know, but before she could say anything police sirens began to whirl far in the distance. Both of their heads snapped towards the sound and he leapt into action. 

Packing everything in his bag while taking anything he didn’t have time to wipe down, as he said, “We can go bunker down at one of my safe houses, it’s not far from here. Let’s--”

He was cut short once as he started to walk away by her hand grabbing onto his jacket and pulling him back. He barely had time to process what was happening or close his eyes before her lips connected with his.

Despite the chill of her touch he melted into her as her hand uncurled and ran up his chest to the back of his neck. Pulling him in closer while he fell deeper into the kiss. Both of them caught for a few moments in the sudden heat of the moment action before Frost broke away all too soon. His eyes opening in confusion only to be even more surprised by her own. Brown flecks mixed with the blue around her pupils he could just make out under the bright emergency lights that lit the alley. Had those colors always been there?

"What--?"

Frost huffed, ducking her head, “Come on, Chem. Dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline. You’d think a scientist would understand the basic chemicals involved in simple attraction.”

He blinked, surprised by her scientific knowledge before he regained his composure and side stepped her verbal attempt to throw him off the subject, “So something did change?”

She rolled her eyes as if annoyed, but when she didn’t answer he shifted slightly closer begging an explanation from her.

Finally after a tense pause she let out a short breath she met his eyes, “Yeah well a lot has been changing for me recently.”

Puzzled only for a moment his mind flashed back to her turning on Goldface’s deal but also his words about how she was different from her days working for Amunet. How she had not only surprised Barry but herself when she had chosen to rescue him, was she really choosing that she didn’t want to work alone anymore or rather that she wanted to work with him? He had lost count of the times he had questioned and miscalculated with her in this night alone. He had treated her as if she were an equation to be solved but perhaps she was more like an unknown chemical reaction, captivating and unpredictable. Even to her own mind.

Upon that realization his gaze couldn’t pull away as he traced over her features before landing on her eyes, their depth and power drawing him in as they always had. But now the pull was stronger than ever and before he knew it he was drawing her forward and kissing her once more. Pleasantly surprised at how she hummed against him. Deepening the kiss for a few moments, their hands just beginning to wander when they broke it again and she gave him a sly look,

“So are we going to this safe house or are Central City’s finest going to have to book us for more than just breaking and entering?”

His eyes darkened slightly at the thought as he huffed a laugh, “Now we wouldn’t want that.”

“Thought not. So, lead the way,” She smirked as he took her hand and pulled them into the night.

*

The door to one of his safe houses clattered open as him and Frost stumbled through latched together in a kiss. He dropped his bag unceremoniously on the floor as Frost kicked the door closed behind her with her foot. One hand fumbled as he pulled down the hood she was wearing to hide her signature silver curls, letting them fall free as he tugged down the zipper with the other.

She shrugged the hoodie off as his hands buried themselves in her hair, angling her face to deepen the kiss while her fingers returned and began untucking and unbuttoning his shirt. He finally broke away to shed his own layers and take in some much needed air. Only to lose it again just as quickly as Frost began to kiss along his jaw. Each one sending thrills of cold against his skin that only made him want more.

But suddenly she tore herself away from him, putting her hands on his chest and shoving him back against the wall, keeping them there as if she was holding him at bay.

“Frost?” He asked breathlessly, both their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath. Every inch of him felt like it was buzzing under her chilled touch as he tried to search her face for a hint of what she was thinking. 

Her brows were furrowing in contemplation as she cocked her head slightly to the side as if she was listening for something. Her eyes far from him and this room. And then she started doing that damn lip bite again.

“Frost,” He called again, his voice a little more sure and her gaze snapped up to his. His eyebrows raised questioningly almost teasing as he said, “Not having second thoughts, are we?”

After a moment amusement took over her features but he didn’t understand what was so funny as she leaned in close so her nose brushed his, her body pushing up against him and hands running over his chest. Sending all sorts of feelings shooting straight through him,

“Yes, but they approve.”

Confused as he was he brushed it off as another one of her strange jokes he didn’t understand and they met in the middle for another kiss. Fervently picking up where they left off, her fingers pulling at strands of his hair as his slid under the hem of her tank top she wore under her suit, rubbing over the cool skin he found there. The desire that had been bubbling up finally spilling over as they wasted no time blindly making their way through the room. Peeling layer after layer from each other until there was nothing left in between as they fell back onto the bed.

*

Barry’s phone dinged with a new alert as he pulled on his boxers. It was calm and the afternoon sun peaking through the small cracks in the blinds. While the only sounds were the hum of the air conditioning unit in the corner and the running shower Frost had disappeared into not twenty minutes before.

Picking up his phone he sat down on the edge of the bed to check his messages and as expected it was the drop information from Mr. Ramon. He was the only one to have this burn phone’s number after all. The final text a curt ‘_ Don’t be late _’ that he could just hear coming out of the kingpin’s mouth as he leveled anyone who dared stand in front of him with a hard glare. Except maybe Frost.

Barry quickly sent back the code that meant he had the package and would be at the drop as the water in the bathroom stopped running. A few moments later the door opened, small wisps of steam pouring out as Frost exited. But what he saw made him double take.

With nothing but a towel folded around her body his eyes traced up her legs as she walked towards the makeup counter across from the bathroom. Yet what had his attention wasn't her figure but the lack of the ghostly pale color his fingers had traced all over the night before, instead her skin was rosy. Pink hues gracing her pale complexion. Another towel in her hands as she dried her hair, but rather than silver curls it was locks of a soft auburn that tumbled down over her shoulders. From the back he would’ve sworn on his life it was a different person entirely but in the mirror he could see her face, the familiar slope of her nose, shape of her eyes and delicate features. It was definitely the same girl.

“What?” Her voice finally cut into this thoughts as he finally realized she locked eyes with him through the mirror’s reflection.

“Nothing. You just... look different,” He offered not sure what else to say.

She seemed amused as she smiled at him through the mirror, a brilliant smile that made him start to smile back involuntarily.

“That’s because Frost is my alter ego of sorts,” She explained but that only confused him more.

“Of sorts?”

She hesitated for a moment, worrying on her lower lip before answering, “She’s kinda like an extension of my personality. She is me but also she isn’t.”

He questioningly raised his eyebrows as she looked at him through the reflection then sighed a little and began to explain in animated gestures he’d never seen Frost use before but he found oddly endearing in this version of her as she continued,

“It’s hard to explain. She has powers where I don’t. She’s different from me but we’re not completely disconnected. There’s an overlap. I’m still mentally present when she’s in control. I see and feel what she does but it’s not me. We’re the same, yet we’re not. It’s kind of like a more complicated alias.”

Barry blinked still confused at her words.

“Wait... does that mean that was _ you _ or was it her or...?” He gestured slightly to the rumpled sheets beside him as he trailed off.

She turned towards him with a fond look and meeting his eyes with the brown ones he thought he’d seen earlier. They were bright and... warm. So warm. She was. It rolled off of her in waves, spreading over every inch of the room, he could even feel it already begin to melt his cold edges away. But how could someone so warm also be someone so cold? The dichotomy was making his head spin.

“Let me put it this way,” She continued, “We’re technically the same so... ‘Frost’ doesn't do anything, or _ anyone _, that I don't do as well.”

Her tone was playful as her eyes skipped away from him and a coy smile played on her lips while she turned back to the mirror. Barry couldn't help grinning a little to himself as the information washed over him. 

He had to admit, a lot of things she said and did made a lot more sense now. Her sudden change of heart working with Amunet for one, had that come from a change in herself? This new “side” as Goldface called it just appearing? Or was it a form of her that had been lost long ago only to finally reemerge? Not to mention other such puzzles and problems about her in his head were finally finding the missing pieces to put it together, and yet he still felt like he might never truly understand it. He looked back at Frost, or whoever she was, watching as she continued to dry her hair, leaning her head to the side in order to more effectively do so.

“So, your name isn't Frost?” He finally asked.

“No.”

“What is it then?”

She turned back to him, surprise in her eyes before they narrowed. Brown or blue, they were keen and intelligent as she studied him. Walking over she placed her hands on his shoulders, her intention clear as he moved back onto the bed slightly allowing her to straddle him as she sat herself in his lap. Placing his hands on her hips as her's ran over his shoulders.

“If I tell you mine will you tell me yours?”

He nodded slowly, surprising even himself. The answer seemed unexpected to her as well as she looked away in thought tucking her hair behind her ear. Finally she muttered,

“It’s Caitlin, Caitlin Snow.”

The name sent sparks through him. Finally a name to the face and it just felt right.

“Your powers are a little on the nose, don’t you think? Snow and all,” He teased lightly with a smirk and she laughed before giving him a look. If the glint in her eyes didn’t look so amused he would’ve feared that she’d freeze him solid.

“And you?”

He took a deep breath before letting out, “Barry Allen.”

Her brows raised, “Barry?”

“Well Bartholomew technically, but Barry for short,” He explained as she failed to stifle her laughter in her hand.

“I’m sorry. I like it. I do. It’s just... not exactly the name I’d picture for a master thief rather a boy scout or theatre geek or something.”

He snorted at the remark then smirked as his fingers trailed along the small of her back, “Thus the alias.”

“Well your secret is safe with me. As long as mine is with you?” She asked pointedly, hint of a challenge slipping into her tone as she played with the hair at the nape of his neck. But he knew what she really was asking, a promise that would solidify this partnership more than anything prior.

He regarded her for a moment as something inside him just clicked. This felt right. He already knew he could trust her with his life, she had proven that, but something was telling him he could trust her with more than that too. With more than just the Chemist.

“I promise I’ll never tell,” He swore to her gravely. 

A myriad of emotions passed over her face before she smiled and jokingly huffed at him, “Do you always have to be so serious? Lighten up, _ Bar-ry _,” She teased emphasizing the syllables in his name with a small scrunch of her nose. He narrowed his eyes at her attempting to resist the urge to smile back as she grinned, “What? I’m not going to call you The Chemist all the time. Besides, I think it’s cute.” 

He scoff in a short laughed before he shook his head and couldn’t help himself any longer as he recaptured her lips with his, pleased when she readily reciprocated. Her fingers curling into his hair and angling his head just to her liking. His hands tightening around her hips, pulling her closer before he broke from her lips. Kissing along her jaw and down her neck before hitting a sensitive spot that he was proud to say made _ her _shiver.

She pulled his head back to connect her gaze with his. Her eyes like dark chocolate pools as they wildly searched his own. He smirked as he kept his eyes locked with her’s.

“Still want me to lighten up, _ Cait _-lin?” He asked playing with the parts of her name like she had his as his smirk grew and his fingers brushed some strands of auburn hair out of her face.

At his words her eyes became laser focused on his own, becoming darker by the second and hooded once they ticked down to his mouth. But instead of responding she swooped forward catching him in a kiss far more heated than the one before. It sent little jolts through him as he could feel his temperature already start to climb. And just as he was about to roll them back onto the bed she reached between them, smiling against his lips as she unfolded her towel and let it fall to the floor.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! This has been in the works since basically the Goldface episode came out and thank you everyone who has been sticking with me and excited to read this despite road block after road block, hope it was worth the weight. If you liked it let me know with a review and don't play with Nitrogen triiodide at home kids, but look it up on Youtube it's very cool XD


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